As if the long lines and security
checks at airports weren't enough to drive you crazy,
now there's something new to worry about during air
travel: Is it safe to drink the water?
According to a recent analysis by
the Environmental Protection Agency of the aircraft
tank water used in the galleys and lavatories of 158
randomly selected aircraft, nearly one out of every
eight passenger planes in the US carries drinking water
that fails to meet federal standards for drinking.
Specific results were as follows..
The water supply on 20 planes tested
positive for total coliform, a group of closely related
bacteria that are natural and common inhabitants of the
human digestive tract. Although coliform bacteria are
not likely to cause illness themselves, they are an
indication that pathogens (disease-causing organisms)
associated with intestinal illnesses may be present
in the water supply.
The water on two of the 20 planes
also tested positive for E. coli. While most E. coli
are harmless and in fact can be helpful in the large
intestine, some strains cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea,
headache or other symptoms.
What You Can Do
According to Richard P. Maas, PhD,
codirector of the Environmental Quality Institute
at the University of North Carolina in Asheville,
there are simple steps you can take to
protect yourself...
Drink bottled water only.
Take a pass when the flight attendant comes around
with a tray filled with glasses of tap water
from the galley.
Never drink water from the
lavatory sinks in airplanes.
Refrain from drinking coffee or tea
that is not made with bottled water. Although
boiling water for one minute removes pathogens,
according to the EPA the water used to prepare coffee
and tea on planes may not reach sufficiently
high temperatures.
Be especially vigilant on international
carriers. The EPA notes that these aircraft may board
water from foreign sources that are not subject to EPA
drinking water standards. Dr. Maas always insists on
bottled water during international travel, and orders
all beverages without ice.
The EPA plans more investigation
to determine whether the bacteria comes from the
original water supply, the tanker trucks that load
the water onto planes or the airplanes themselves.
In the meantime, it is better to be safe than sorry:
Stick with bottled water when you fly.
Sources...
Richard P. Maas, PhD, codirector,
Environmental Quality Institute, University of North
Carolina, Asheville. US Environmental Protection
Agency, www.epa.gov
